Pilot operated diaphragm flush valve



Aug. 24, 1965 J. J. DELANY ETAL PILOT OPERATED DIAPHRAGM FLUSH VALVE 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June 11, 1961 m T v m W? 25 J. C N mm MATTORNEY Aug. 24, 1965 .1. J. DELANY ETAL PILOT OPERATED DIAPHRAGM FLUSHVALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed June 11 1961 YNVENTCR Jay/v 1, 5;MW

5;; Wm/ c. 51 71651,

ATTORNEY United States Patent This invention relates generally to flushvalves of the diaphragm type.

More specifically the invention relates to a solenoid actuated bleedervalve mechanism by means of which the operation of the flush valve isinitiated and terminated. This application is a continuation of ourcopending application Serial No. 118,139, now abandoned, which was filedJune 19, 1961, and which is a continuation-in-part of our then copendingapplication Serial No. 646,694 which was filed March 18, 1957, and uponwhich Patent No. 3,011,751 was issued December 5, 1961.

The flush valve of the present invention comprises generally a hollowcasing consisting of a lower body section and a removable upper capsection between which a flexible diaphragm is firmly clamped therebyproviding a pair of opposed lower and upper chambers.

The body section is provided with an inlet port into the lower chamberfor the admission of water thereinto, and a discharge port from thelower chamber for the emission of water therefrom. An open endedcylindrical sleeve which is mounted in the lower body section extendsupwardly from the discharge port through the lower chamber into positionfor the diaphragm to seat upon and close the upper end thereof andthereby prevent the discharge or" water from the lower chamber. Thediaphragm is provided with a restricted b -pass member, which providesconstant communication between the upper and lower chambers, throughwhich water is adapted to slowly -llow from the lower chamber into theupper chamber. When the water pressure in the upper and lower chambersis equal the diaphragm will be maintained in firm contact with the upperend of the cylindrical sleeve due to the area of the diaphragm exposedto the pressure of the water in the upper chamber being greater than thearea of the diaphragm exposed to the pressure of the water in the lowerchamber.

In order to initiate operation of the flush valve, the water pressure inthe upper chamber is reduced below the water pressure in the upperchamber to such an extent that the water under pressure in the lowerchamber will raise the diaphragm out of engagement with the upper end ofthe cylindrical sleeve. Water under pressure will then flow into thelower chamber and out therefrom through the cylindrical sleeve anddischarge port as long as the diaphragm is maintained up out ofengagement with the upper end of the sleeve. As soon as the waterpressure in the lower and upper chambers is again equalized thediaphragm will be forced down into engagement with the upper end or":the sleeve thereby stopping the how of water under pressure into and outof the lower chamber.

In order to reduce the water pressure in the upper chamber down belowthe pressure in the lower chamber to initiate operation of the fiushvalve and to subsequently equalize the water pressure in the upper andlower chambers to terminate operation of the flush valve a solenoidactuated bleeder valve mechanism, which constitutes the subject matterof this application is provided.

The bleeder valve mechanism, which includes auxiliary and main bleedervalve means which are adapted to be successively actuated by a solenoidwhen energized, comprises a ported member lhich is carried by thediaphragm and a closure member which is carried by a plunger memberwhich is connected to and extends downwardly from the solenoid core.

The ported member of the bleeder valve mechanism comprises an externallythreaded stud having a frusto-conical head, an outwardly extendingannular flange about the base of the frusto-conical head and an axialbore which extends from end to end or" the stud. The stud is insertedthrough a central aperture in the diaphragm and is threaded into aslidably mounted disk which is normally disposed within the upper end ofthe cylindrical sleeve and is provided with a plurality of spaceddownwardly extending guide legs which slidably engage the inner-wall ofthe sleeve. A circular disk washer, the diameter of which is greaterthan the outside diameter of the cylindrical sleeve is interposedbetween the upper surface of the diaphragm and the under surface of theannular flange whereby the diaphragm is firmly clamped to the diskthroughout the entire upper surface thereof.

The solenoid, by which the operation of the flush valve is initiated,comprises a soft iron core which is slidably mounted in an open endedtube which is secured to the upper end of the cap section and extendsupwardly therefrom in axial alignment with the cylindrical sleeve andthe axial bore in the ported member stud, and a coil which is disposedabout the free end of the tube between a pair of opposed disks which arecarried by the tube and lit snugly in a housing which encloses thesolenoid and is removably secured to the cap section.

A plunger member which is adapted to be raised by the solenoid toinitiate operation of the flush valve comprises an elongated stem oflesser diameter than the diameter of the solenoid core extendsdownwardly therefrom and out through the lower end of the tube, and acylindrical body portion which is secured to the lower end of the stemand is provided with a downwardly extending conical tip.

The closure member of the bleeder valve mechanism comprises a lower cupshaped section having a bottom wall and an internally threaded sidewall, and an upper inverted cup shaped section having a top wall and anexternally threaded side wall which is threaded into the lower cupshaped section to provide a chamber therebetween. The bottom wall of thelower section is provided with a central downwardly and outwardlyflaring conical aperture which is complementary to the frustoconicalhead of the ported member stud; and the top wall of the upper section isprovided with a central circular aperture. A seat washer which ismounted in the lower section and firmly clamped between the bottom wallof the lower section and the lower end of the side wall of the uppersection is provided with a central bleeder port which is disposed inaxial alignment with the conical and circular apertures in the lower andupper sections respectively.

The closure member is carried by the plunger member for movementtherewith with the plunger body portion disposed within the chamberprovided by the lower and upper cup shaped sections and the plungermember stem extending out through the circular aperture in the top wallof the upper cup shaped section. The diameter of v the body portion ofthe plunger member is less than the diameter of the closure memberchamber and greater than the diameter of the circular aperture in thetop wall of the upper cup shaped section, and the length thereof is lessthan the height of the closure member chamber; and the diameter of theplunger member stem is less than the diameter of the aperture in the topwall of the upper cup shaped section of the closure member. Theconstruction and arrangement is such that the closure member can shiftlaterally and tilt in all directions during the raising and loweringthereof by the plunger member. Also the '-When the flush valve is innormal non-flushing condition the closure member, carried by the plungermem-- her, is disposed in engagement with the ported member, secured tothe diaphragm, with the conical aperture in the bottom wall of the lowercup shaped section disposed about the frusto-conical head of the portedmember stud and the seat washer in contact with'the' entire flat topsurface of the frusto-conical head. The lower conical tip of the plungermember body portion is seated in the bleeder port of the seat washer ofthe closure member and the diaphragm is seated on the upper end of thecylindrical sleeve. The closure member, the seat washer thereof, theconical tip of the plunger member, and the diaphragm'are all'normallyfirmly maintained in the aforesaid positions by the pressure of thewater in the upper flush valve chamber.

;;In order to initiate flushing the solenoid is momentarily energized bymomentarily closing a control switch which may be done eithermanually'asdesired or periodically by a timer mechanism. The solenoid whenenergized will raise the plunger member which in turn will raise bore inthe ported member stud, thereby slightly reducing the pressure of thewater in the flush valve upper chamber; Further movement of the plungermember raises the closure member up out of engagement with the portedmember, Water will then flow out from the flush,

valve upper chamber through the bore in the ported member'stud fasterthan water enters the chamber through the by-pass in the diaphragm whichreduces the pressure of the water in the upper chamber to such an extentthat the total downward pressure of the water in'the upper chamber uponthe top'surface of the diaphragm is less than the total upward pressureof the water in the lower chamber upon the bottom surface of thediaphragm. The pressure of the water in the lower chamber will thenraise the diaphragm, and the ported member carried thereby, up' out ofengagement with the upper end of the sleeve so that water may then flowfreely out of the lower chamberthrough the sleeve and discharge portuntil the diaphragm is again seated on and closes the 'upper'end of thesleeve. The initial bleeding of water from the upper chamber through thebleeder port and ported member plug bore reduces thev pressure of thewater in the upper chamberto such an extent that less power is requiredto raise the closure member up out of engagement with the portedmemberthan would otherwise be required.

. As soon as the solenoid is disengaged the plunger mem ber and closuremember drop by gravity until the closure i As water is flowing out fromthe lower chamber wate is slowly injected into the upper chamber throughtheby-pass in the diaphragm until the pressure of the water in ,theupper chamber is substantially the same as the pressure of the water inthe lower chamber at which time the pressure of the water in the upperchamber will force the. diaphragm down into engagement with the upperend of the sleeve thereby stopping any further discharge of water fromthe lower chamber until the solenoid is again momentarily energized.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide an improvedbleeder valve mechanism for a solenoid operated diaphragm type flushvalve which is of simple construction, is inexpensive to manufacture andis very efiicient in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bleeder valve mechanismof the aforesaid character which is so constructed and arranged that theclosure section thereof may shift laterally and tilt in all directionsand thereby find its seat during closing regardless of slight variationsin manufacture and/or assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bleeder valve mechanismof the aforesaid character which is so constructed and arranged that itmay be readily removed for replacement and repair.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bleeder valvemechanism of the aforesaid character that is so constructed andarranged, and operates in such a manner as to require a minimum of powerfor operation.

Having stated the principal objects of the invention, other and morelimited objects thereof will be apparent from the followingspecification and the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof inwhich:

FIGJl is a central vertical section through a diaphragm type flush.valve having a bleeder valve mechanism constructed according to ourinvention incorporated therein with the various elements being shown innon-flushing.

position;

FIG. 2' is an enlarged fragmentary central vertical.

section through the bleeder valve mechanism and the associated parts ofthe flush valve showing the various elements innon-flushing position;

PEG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the plunger and closuremembers raised to their uppermost posi tion and the diaphragm and portedmember raised up from the upper end of the outlet sleeve as assumed atin its raised position. a

The construct-ion and operation of the invention havthe start offlushing; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 2, and 3 showing the plunger andclosure member after they have dropped down by gravity into engagementwith the portedmember ingbeen generally described, it will now bespecifically 7 described in connection with the drawing by the use ofreference characters in which the numeral 1 indicates generally a flushvalve of the diaphragm type having a bleeder valve mechanism generallyindicated by the numeral 2 incorporated therein. The flush valve 1comprises a casing 3 having a recessed internally threaded upper end anda cap 4, having an externally threaded recessed lower end, which isscrewed into the internally threaded upper end ofthe casing 3. Aflexible diaphragm 5; which is firmly clamped between the lower end ofthe cap 4, and an annular shoulder 6 formed in the casing 3 adjacent thebase of the internally threaded section thereof, defines a pair ofopposed lower and upper chambers 7 ands respectively.

The casing 3 is provided with an inlet port 9 through which Water isadmitted to'the lower, or 'low pressure, chamber 7; and a discharge portIii-through which water is initially discharged from the upper, or highpressure, chamber 8,'and then from the chamber 7 during flushing. Anopen ended tubular sleeve 11, which is threaded into the upper end ofthe discharge port 10, extends up through the chamber 7 and is adaptedto have the diaphragm 5 seat on the upper end thereof and thereby pre-.'

As long as the water pressure in the lower and upper chambers issubstantially the same the diaphragm 5 will be maintained in firmcontact with the upper end of the sleeve 11 due to the area of the topsurface of the diaphragm exposed to the pressure of the' water in theupper chamber being greater than the area of the bottom surface of thediaphragm exposed to the pressure of the water in the lower chamber. Inorder to initiate flushing the water pressure in the upper chamber isreduced until the total upward pressure upon the bottom of the diaphragmexceeds the total downward pressure upon the top of the diaphragm atwhich time the upward pressure upon the diaphragm will raise it up fromthe upper end of the sleeve 11 thereby permitting water to fiow into thelower chamber 7 through the inlet port 9 and out therefrom through thesleeve 11 and the discharge port it For this purpose the solenoidoperated bleeder valve mechanism 2 is provided.

The bleeder valve mechanism 2, which includes auxiliary and main bleedermeans which are adapted to be successively operated by a solenoid 14,comprises a plung er member 15 which extends downwardly from thesolenoid core 16, a ported member, generally indicated by the numeral17, which is carried by the diaphragm 5, and a closure member, generallyindicated by the numeral 13, which is carried by the plunger member 15for movement therewith.

The ported member comprises an externally threaded stud 19 having afrusto-conical head 21 an outwardly extending annular flange 21 aboutthe base of the frustoconical head 20, and an axial bore 22 whichextends from end to end of the stud 19. The stud 15 is inserted througha central aperture in the diaphragm 5 and threaded into a slidablymounted disk 23 which is normally disposed within the upper end of thecylindrical sleeve 11 and is provided with a plurality of spaceddownwardly extending guide legs 24 which slidably engage the inner wallof the sleeve 11. A circular dish washer 25, the diameter of which isgreater than the outside diameter of the sleeve 11, is interposedbetween the upper surface of the diaphragm 5 and the under surface ofthe annular flange 21, whereby the diaphragm 5 is securely clamped tothe disk 23 throughout the upper surface thereof and is adapted to befirmly pressed into engagement with the upper end of the sleeve 11.

The actuating solenoid 14 comprises the soft iron core 15 which isslidably mounted in an open ended tube 26 which is secured to the cap 4and extends upwardly therefrom in axial alignment with the bore 22 inthe stud 19. The solenoid coil 27 is disposed about the free end of thetube 26 between a pair of spaced opposed disks 28 and 29 which aremounted on the tube 27 and fit snugly within a housing 39 which enclosesthe solenoid 14 and is removably secured to the cap 4 by suitable means,not shown.

The plunger member 15, which is secured to the lower end of the solenoidcore 16 and extends downwardly thereform and out through the lower endof the tube 26, comprises a stem 31, of lesser diameter than the core16, which terminates at the lower end thereof in a cylindrical bodyportion 32 which is provided with a downwardly extending conical tip 33.

The closure member 18 of the bleeder valve mechanism comprises a lowercup shaped section 341 having a bottom wall 35 and an internallythreaded side wall 36; and an upper inverted cup shaped section 37having a top wall 38 and an externally threaded side wall 39 which isscrewed into the lower cup shaped section 34 to provide a chamber 41therein. A seat washer 41 which is mounted in the lower cup shapedsection 34, and is firmly clamped between the bottom wall 35 of thelower cup shaped section 34 and the lower end of the side wall 39 of theupper cup shaped section 37, is provided with a central bleeder port 42.The bottom wall 35 of the lower cup shaped section 34 is provided with adownwardly and outwardly flaring conical aperture 43 which iscomplementary to the frusto-conica'l head 21 of the ported member stud19 and is disposed in axial alignment with the bleeder port 42 in theseat washer 41. The top wall 33 of the upper cup shaped member 37 isprovided with a central circular aperture which is disposed in axialalignment with the bleeder port 42 and conical aperture 3.

The closure member 18 is mounted upon the plunger member 15, formovement therewith, with the body portion 32 of the plunger member 15being disposed within the chamber ill, provided by the cup shapedsections 34 and 37, and the stem 31 of the plunger member 15 extendingout through the aperture 44 in the top Wall 33 of the upper inverted cupshaped section 37. The diameter of the cylindrical body portion 32 isless than the diameter of the closure member chamber 49 and greater thanthe diameter of the plunger stem 31; and the length thereof is less thanthe depth of the chamber 40. The diameter of the circular aperture 14 inthe top wall 38 of the upper cup shaped section 37 is greater than thediameter of the plunger stem 31 and less than the diameter of theplunger body portion 32. The closure member 18 can therefore shiftlaterally and tilt in all directions upon the plunger member 15, andwater can enter the closure member chamber 4d through the aperture 44 inthe top wall 38, of the upper cup shaped section 37, around the plungerstem 31. Also the plunger member 15 can be raised a short distance,until the upper surface of the body portion 32 engages the bottomsurface of the top wall 38 of the upper cup shaped section 37, before itstarts to raise the closure member along therewith.

During non-flushing the closure member 18 is disposed in engagement withthe ported member 17 with the conical aperture :13 in the bottom wall ofthe cup shaped member 34 disposed about the frusto-conical head 21 ofthe ported member plug 19 and the bottom surface of the seat washer 41in contact with the top surface of the head 19; and with the lowerconical tip 33 of the plunger member body portion 32 seated in thebleeder port 42 in the seat washer 41, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Inthis condition the emission of water from the upper flush valve chamber8 is prevented and the downward pressure of the water in the chamber 3maintains the diaphragm 5 in firm contact with the upper end of thesleeve 11 thereby preventing the discharge of water from the lower flushvalve chamber 7.

When the solenoid 14 is momentarily energized, to init-iate flushing, itraises the plunger member 15, and with it the closure member 18, up fromthe position shown in FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG. 3. During theinitial upward movement of the plunger member 15, until the body portion32 thereof engages the top wall 38 of the inverted cu-p shaped section37 of the closure member 13, water will flow out from the upper chamber8 of the flush valve through the aperture 1 1, chamber 4% bleeder port42, and bore 22, faster than water flows into the chamber 3 through theconstantly open by-pass 12 in the diaphragm 5. This initial bleeding ofwater from the chamber 8 reduces the pressure therein to such an extentthat less power is required to raise the closure member 18 up from theported member 17 than would otherwise be necessary, thereby permittingthe use of a less powerful solenoid. After the closure member 18 hasbeen raised up out of engagement with the ported member 17 water willhow out from the upper chamber 8 through the bore 22 until the downwardpressure of the water in the upper chamber 8 upon the diaphragm 5 isless than the upward pressure thereon of the water in the lower chamber7 of the flush valve 1. The diaphragm 5 will then be raised, by thepressure of the water in the lower chamber 7, up out of engagement withthe upper end of the sleeve 11 from the position shown in FIG. 2 to theposition shown in FIG. 3. The diaphragm 5 is provided with an annularcorrugation 45 to permit the raising and lowering thereof up out of andback into engagement with the upper end of the sleeve 11. Water thenentering the lower chamber 7 will flow out therefrom through the sleeve11 and discharge port 10 until the diaphragm 5 is again seated upon andcloses the upper end of the sleeve 11.

After the diaphragm 5 and ported member 17 carried thereby have beenraised up from the position shown in FIG. 2 to the position shown inFIG. 3 and the solenoid 14 tie-energized, the plunger member 15 and theclosure member 18 will drop down by gravity from the position shown inFIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 4 with the seat washer 41 againengaging the upper surface of the stud 19 and'the conical tip 33 of theplunger member body portion 32, seated in the bleeder port 42 thereby,

closing all outlets from the chamber 8. The shiftable and tiltablefeature of the closure member 18 upon the plunger member 15 assures theaccurate seating of the closure member 18 with respect to the portedmember 17 and plunger member 15 with respect to'each other regardless ofany variations in manufacture and assembly. r During flushing waterconstantly slowly enters the upper chamber 8 from the lower chamber 7until the water pressure in the upper chamber 8 is the same as the waterpressure in the lower chamber 7, at which time the downward pressure ofthe water in the upper chamber 8 upon the diaphragm forces it, down intoclosing engagement with the upper end of the sleeve 11 therebyterminating flushing.

The duration of flushing is dependent upon the distance the plungermember 15 and closure member 18 are raised up from their normalnon-tlushing position .as shown in FIGS. 1- and 2, the higher they areraised the longer the flushing period. Adjusting means are thereforeprovided by which'the upper limit of movement of the plunger member 15,and consequently the closure member 18, may be adjusted as desired. Tothis end a plug 46 having a concavity 47 in the lower end thereof isslidably mounted in the upper end of the tube 26 above the solenoid core16, and an adjusting screw 48, which is adapted to be engaged by theupper end of the plug 46 as it is moved upwardly in the tube 26 by thesolenoid core 16,

is mounted in a threaded aperature in the top wall of the housing 30.The concavity 47 is adapted to accumulate vertigus or other products ofcorrosion which may be scraped from the inner wall of the tube 26 by themovement of the core 16 therein.

From the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in this art thatwe have provided a very simple and efiicient mechanism for accomplishingthe objects of the invention; and it is to'be understood that we are'notlimited to the specific construction shown and described herein, asvarious modifications may be made therein within the spirit of theinvention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: V

1. In a'flush valve mechanism of the character described comprising ahollow valve body, a flexible diaphragm mounted in said valve body inposition to define a lower chamber and an upper chamber, said valve bodybeing provided with a discharge port and an inlet port into said lowerchamber and an open ended tubular sleeve which extends upwardly throughsaid lower cham-- her and provides an outlet passageway between saidchambers and said discharge port, a cylindrical disk which is slidablymounted in the upper end of said tubular sleeve and is provided with aplurality of spaced downwardly extending guide members which slidablyengage the inner wall of said tubular sleeve, said diaphragm beingsecured to said cylindrical disk, said diaphragm being provided with arestricted by-pas's member which provides constant communication betweensaid lower and upper chambers, said diaphragm being adapted to seat uponand close the open upper end of said tubular sleeve, and a bleeder valvemechanism by which'the pressure in said upper chamber is adapted to bereduced as said flush valve mechanism is actuated; said bleeder valvemechanism comprising a closure member made up of a lower cup shapedmember having an internally threaded cylindrical side wall and a bottomwall, a downwardly and outwardly flaring frusto-conical opening formedin said bottom wall, an upper inverted cup shaped member having a topwall and an exteriorly threaded cylindrical side wall which is threadedinto said lower cup shaped member to provide a closure member chamber, acentrally disposed circular aperture extending through the said top wallof said upper cup shaped member, a seat washer clamped in said lower cupshaped member between the bottom wall thereof and the lower end of thesaid cylindrical side wall of said upper cup shaped member, a bleederport extending through said seat'washer in axial alignment with the saidfrusto-conical opening 'in the said bottom wall of said lower cup shapedmember; a centrally disposed cylindrical stud carried by said diaphragm,an axial bore in said cylindri-' cal stud providing communicationbetween said' upper chamber and said outlet port, said cylindrical studhaving an upwardly extendingfrusto-conical head which is com,-plementary to the said frusto-conical opening, a plunger by which saidclosure member is mounted in said upper chamber for up and down movementtherein whereby said seat washer is adapted to be moved into engagement'with said frusto-conical head with said frusto-conical apertureenvelopingsaid head, mounting means by which said plunger is mounted'forvertical reciprocation in axial alignment with said frusto-conical head;said plunger comprising a cylindrical body portion which is disposedwithin said closure member chamber, a cylindrical stern extendingupwardly therefrom through the said circular aperture into said mountingmeans, and a downwardly extending conical tip which is adapted to openand close said bleeder port, the diameter of said bottom portion beingless than the inside diameter of said closure member chamber and greaterthan the diameter of the said circular aperture in the top wall of saidupper cup shaped member and the height of said body portion being lessthan the depth of said closure member cham ber, and the diameter of saidcylindrical stem being less than the diameter of the said circularaperture through which said stern extends, whereby said closure membermay shift laterally and tilt in any direction as said closure member ismoved into engagement with said frustoconical head. 7

2. A flush valve mechanism as defined by claim 1 in which said mountingmeans comprises an elongated vertically disposed cylindrical tube havinga solenoid thereof slidably mounted in said elongated tube above theupper end of said core and anadjusting screw which is carried by saidhousing and is adapted to engage the upperend of said plug to therebylimit the upward movement of said plug, said core and said plunger.

4. A bleeder valve mechanism for a flush valve having anupper chamberand a lower chamber with a flexible diaphragm interposed therebetween;said bleeder valve mechanism comprising a closure member made up of, jalower cup shaped member having an externally 7 threaded cylindrical sidewall and a bottom wall, a downwardly and outwardly flaringfrusto-conical aperture formed in said bottom wall, an upper invertedcup shaped member having atop wall and an exteriorly threadedcylindrical side wall which is threaded into said lower member betweenthe bottom wall thereof and the lower end of the said cylindrical sidewall of said upper cup shaped member, a bleeder port extending throughsaid seat washer in axial alignment with the said frusto-conical openingin the said bottom wall of said lower cup shaped member; a centrallydisposed cylindrical stud carried by said diaphragm, an axial bore insaid cylindrical stud providing communication between said upper chamberand an outlet port; said cylindrical stud having an upwardly extendingfrusto-conical head which is complementary to the said frusto-conicalopening, a plunger member by which said closure member is mounted insaid upper chamber for up and down movement therein whereby said seatwasher is adapted to be moved into engagement with said frusto-conicalhead with said conical aperture enveloping said head, mounting means bywhich said plunger is mounted for vertical reciprocation in axialalignment with said frusto-conical head; said plunger comprising acylindrical body portion which is disposed Within said closure memberchamber, a cylindrical stem extending upwardly therefrom through thesaid circular aperture into said mounting means, and a downwardlyextending conical tip which is adapted to open and close said bleederport, the diameter of said body portion being less than the insidediameter of said closure member chamber and greater than the diameter ofthe said circular aperture in the top wall of said upper cup shapedmember and the height of said body portion being less than the depth ofsaid closure member chamber, and the diameter of said cylindrical stembeing less than the diameter of the said circular aperture through whichsaid stem extends, thereby said closure member may shift laterally andtilt in any direction as said closure member is moved into engagementwith said irustoconical head.

References Salted by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,555,525 9/25Simmons 137--630.14 X 2,604,905 7/52 Myer 251-38 2,625,953 1/53 Miller25l30 M. CARY NELSON, Primary Examiner. MARTIN P. SCHWADRON, Examiner.

1. IN A FLUSH VALVE MECHAMISM OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING AHOLLOW VALVE BODY, A FLEXIBLE DIAPHRAGM MOUNTED IN SAID VALVE BODY INPOSITION TO DEFINE A LOWER CHAMBER AND AN UPPER CHAMBER, SAID VALVE BODYBEING PROVIDED WITH A DISCHARGE PORT AND AN INLET PORT INTO SAID LOWERCHAMBER AND AN OPEN ENDED TUBULAR SLEEVE WHICH EXTENDS UPWARDLY THROUGHSAID LOWER CHAMBER AND PROVIDES AN OUTLET PASSAGEWAY BETWEEN SAIDCHAMBERS AND SAID DISCHARGE PORT, A CYLINDRICAL DISK WHICH IS SLIDABLYMOUNTED IN THE UPPER END OF SAID TUBULAR SLEEVE AND IS PROVIDED WITH APLURALITY OF SPACED DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING GUIDE MEMBERS WHICH SLIDABLYENGAGE THE INNER WALL OF SAID TUBULAR SLEEVE, SAID DIAPHRAGM BEINGSECURED TO SAID CYLINDRICAL DISK, SAID DIAPHRAGM BEING PROVIDED WITH ARESTRICTED BY-PASS MEMBER WHICH PROVIDES CONSTANT COMMUNICATION BETWEENSAID LOWER AND UPPER CHAMBERS, SAID DIAPHRAGM BEING ADAPTED TO SEAT UPONAND CLOSE THE OPEN UPPER END OF THE SAID TUBULAR SLEEVE, AND A BLEEDERVALVE MECHANISM BY WHICH THE PRESSURE IN SAID UPPER CHAMBER IS ADAPTEDTO BE REDUCED AS SAID FLUSH VALVE MECHAMISM IS ACTUATED; SAID BLEEDERVALVE MECHANISM COMPRISING A CLOSURE MEMBER MADE UP OF A LOWER CUPSHAPED MEMBER HAVING AN INTERNALLY THREADED CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL AND ABOTTOM WALL, A DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY FLARING FRUSTO-CONICAL OPENINGFORMED IN SAID BOTTOM WALL, AN UPPER INVERTED COP SHAPED MEMBER HAVING ATOP WALL AND AN EXTERIORLY THREADED CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL WHICH ISTHREADED INTO SAID LOWER CUP SHAPED MEMBER TO PROVIDE A CLOSURE MEMBERCHAMBER, A CENTRALLY DISPOSED CIRCULAR APERTURE EXTENDING THROUGH THESAID TOP WALL OF SAID UPPER CUP SHAPED MEMBER, A SEAT WASHER CLAMPED INSAID LOWER CUP SHAPED MEMBER BETWEEN THE BOTTOM WALL THEREOF AND THELOWER END OF THE SAID CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL OF SAID UPPER CUP SHAPEDMEMBER, A BLEEDER PORT EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SEAT WASHER IN AXIALALIGNMENT WITH THE SAID FRUSTO-CONICAL OPENING IN THE SAID BOTTOM WALLOF SAID LOWER CUP SHAPED MEMBER; A CENTRALLY DISPOSED CYLINDRICAL STUDCARRIED BY SAID DIAPHRAGM, AN AXIAL BORE IN SAID CYLINDRICAL STUDPROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID UPPER CHAMBER AND SAID OUTLET PORT,SAID CYLINDRICAL STUD HAVING AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING FRUSTO-CONICAL HEADWHICH IS COMPLEMENTARY TO THE SAID FRUSTO-CONICAL OPENING, A PLUNGER BYWHICH SAID CLOSURE MEMBER IS MOUNTED IN SAID UPPER CHAMBER FOR UP ANDDOWN MOVEMENT THEREIN WHEREBY SAID SEAT WASHER IS ADAPTED TO BE MOVEDINTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FRUSTO-CONICAL HEAD WITH SAID FRUSTO-CONICALAPERTURE ENVELOPING SAID HEAD, MOUNTING MEANS BY WHICH SAID PLUNGER ISMOUNTED FOR VERTICAL RECIPROCATION IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAIDFRUSTO-CONICAL HEAD; SAID PLUNGER COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL BODY PORTIONWHICH IS DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CLOSURE MEMBER CHAMBER, A CYLINDRICAL STEMEXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM THROUGH THE SAID CIRCULAR APERTURE INTOSAID MOUNTING MEANS, AND A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING CONICAL TIP WHICH ISADAPTED TO OPEN AND CLOSE SAID BLEEDER PORT, THE DIAMETER OF SAID BOTTOMPORTION BEING LESS THAN THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID CLOSURE MEMBERCHAMBER AND GREATER THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE SAID CIRCULAR APERTURE INTHE TOP WALL OF SAID UPPER CUP SHAPED MEMBER AND THE HEIGHT OF SAID BODYPORTION BEING LESS THAN THE DEPTH OF SAID CLOSURE MEMBER CHAMBER, ANDTHE DIAMETER OF SAID CYLINDRICAL STEM BEING LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OFSAID CIRCULAR APERTURE THROUGH WHICH SAID STEM EXTENDS, WHEREBY SAIDCLOSURE MEMBER MAY SHIFT LATERALY AND TILT IN ANY DIRECTION AS SAIDCLOSURE MEMBER IS MOVED INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FRUSTOCONICAL HEAD.